A LIFE OF ASHES
by krittz
Summary: A truly real incident for the challenge put forward by Roohi di named "TRUELY REAL"...whoever interested to read...please read the first and last A/N carefully...and give Ur true reviews after reading the whole


**_A/N:_ **

**_A developing country...or an under developed country..._**

 ** _There being a widow gives enough suffering...now if it gets added with some deadly disease to which people are still ignorant to, then what happens? Many adds, campaigns, medical camps...all done...but result?_**

 ** _Till now this disease brings a climate of stigma and discrimination along..._**

 ** _And every plight gets severe if it's a case of woman..._**

 ** _Just sharing such an experience using our dear CID officers_**

 _ **Acha I tried to use spcl village tones** **and words in dialogues let me know how it w** as_

 _STORY:_

 _The scorching sun is not at all in a mood of mercy in this mid noon...and no one will dare to roam around in the jungle type area surrounding the village in this weather... But four people are..._

 _They should, it's a part of their job...when it comes to duty...sun or rain shouldn't matter..._

 _Vivek squeezed his t-shirt corner with "ek to yea garmi..upar se yeaha ke log..gaon ki beech se arahe they to sab aise dekh rahe they jaise hum aliens ho"_

 _Freddy smiled "Vivek..yeaha ke log roj saheri logo ko nahi dekhte..inke liye itni bari gaari aise larkiyo..yea jeans peheni hui..aur English bolne wali aliens se kam thori hey"_

 _Purvi and Tarika smiled at this, Tarika says "meine jab wo khoon ki samples uthaye to wo log to aise ghur rahe they ki mano wo behosh hi ho jayenge..kuch to barabara rahe they..kaise larki hi..jhat se khoon ko kati hui haath ko haath laga liya.."_

 _Purvi nodded "sach mey ager yea case na milta to hume pata chalta ki Mumbai ki bas 45km dur ek aisa gaon hey jaha ki log itne bichre hue hey..itne andhbiswas ko leke jeete hey.."_

 _Vivek sighed "aur jaha ki rasta itne kharab ho ki gaari nahi a pati.."_

 _Freddy gave Vivek a look "tu din ba din lazy hota ja raha hey Vivek"_

 _Tarika nodded "waise bhi Vivek hume shaq hey iss jungle ki ass pass hume kuch milega isiliye ACP sir ne mujhe bhi veja tumlog ki saath..to gaari mey baithe to hum dhund nahi payenge na..waise Purvi paani hey?mera pani khatam ho gaya.."_

 _Purvi checked her bottle with "mera bhi.."_

 _Vivek and Freddy also nodded in disappointment showing their empty bottle._

 _Tarika looked around "oh god aab yeaha paani kaha.."_

 _but she stopped with Freddy's voice "arey wo woha..wo ek gher hey na?"_

 _Vivek followed the direction Freddy is showing by eyes, exclaimed "ek thatched house..wah.."_

 _Purvi narrowed her eyes "per aise jagah gaon ki bahar..jungle ki itne pass gher.."_

 _Tarika took two three steps forward "sayed log bhi rehte hey..wo dekho ek saree bahar sukhne ko diya hua hey"_

 _Purvi pulled out her gun with "dekhe chal ke?"_

 _Freddy stopped her "Purvi yea gaon hey..gun asehi mat nikalo alert raho..per gun nahi..chalo"_

 _Purvi nodded and four of them moved forward.._

 _Coming near to the hut, Freddy called out "koi hey?"_

 _Vivek added naughtily "hum musafir hey..bare duuur se aye hey"_

 _the girls just glared at him when an woman of around 40years wearing a saree having pieces of cloths sewed all over it_

 _"jee aap log.."_

 _Purvi gave her a warm smile with "hum seher se hey..uss gaon mey aye they kuch kaam krne..fir jungle taq ate atey sara paani khtam ho gaya..thora paani milega?"_

 _"aap log humre haath ki paani piyoge?"_

 _Purvi exchanged glances with others "jee..bas thora hi paani lenge..aapko koi problem nahi hoga"_

 _the woman continued starring at them with strange look, that glaze is not normal..some pain some helplessness and something which can't be read is there_

 _Vivek hurriedly said "aapko problem hey to hum.."_

 _Tarika pinched him to stop and approached the woman with "jiji bahut garmi hey to hum.."_

 _the woman opened her mouth "aap log ko malum na hey humse paani pee lene se aap logon ko sab kho dena parega..bahut vaari par jayegi keemat.."_

 _this four was really confused, Purvi tried in soft tone "jee hum kuch smjhe nahi..aap..kya keh rahi hey.."_

 _"aap log humre haath se paani pioge to apna jati kho doge.."_

 _Tarika smiled "hum caste mera mtlb iss jaati pratha ko nahi mante..aap.."_

 _"aap log ko bimaari bhi lag jayegi chut wali.."_

 _"jee?"_

 _"sare gaon ke log kehwat hey hum ko chut ki beemari hey..humare haath ki kuch khane pine se humre pass bethne se fail jawegi.."_

 _Purvi was about to say something when a young lad of around 16 years came out of the hut "maai kisse batiya.."_

 _he notices this new people and folded his hands "babuji koi garbar kiya kya humne.."_

 _Freddy smiled sweetly "arey nahi beta hum to kaam se aye they pyas lagi to thora paani mang liye.."_

 _"jee aap log baithiye na..baith..yea.." he rushed to the corner, pulled a old worn out cot and laid it down in the shade of the mango tree and was about to rush again when Purvi stopped him "hum isi pey baith jate hey tum pareshan na ho.."_

 _"per aap log ispey kaisen.."_

 _"kuch nahi hota.."_

 _and the four of them sat on the cot._

 _The lad rushed in and came out with four green coconuts.._

 _His mother stopped him "betwa yea kya.."_

 _"main yea to per ka hey humra thori..kahe ko bimaari hogi.."_

 _Purvi whispered to Tarika "kaise bimaari ki baat kr rahe hey yea log?"_

 _Tarika shook her head in no "pata nahi..per aise gaon mey to sare bari bimari ko asehi najriye se dekha jayega"_

 _the lad had already cut the coconuts and handed it over to them.._

 _Purvi and Tarika emptied its content in their water bottle and started sipping it when Freddy noticed two village people who were passing by the road had stopped and was looking at them keenly.._

 _Freddy looked up at them "kya bhaiya kuch kehna hey?"_

 _"sahab jee aap iss dain ki gher mey na ruko..manhus hey yea..aapki sari sukh shanti nigal jayegi"_

 _the other one nodded "aur iski chut ki bimari..ager wo fail gayi to smjho aapki jindegi khtam.."_

 _Freddy and Purvi stood up immediately.._

 _The young boy who was still now standing in a corner sobbed "babuji humne kuch nahi kiya"_

 _Vivek moved towards the kid, while Purvi and Freddy went near the village guys._

 _Tarika looks at the woman, her worn out face suddenly showing fire and tears at the same time.._

 _She pressed the lady's shoulder_

 _Freddy moved towards those two people "kisiki haath se khana khane se yea kisi ki saath baithne se na qismat badalti nahi hey.."_

 _Purvi added "aur aj ki jamane mey yea dain..yea sab.."_

 _they protested "sahab aap nahi jnte..yea aurat itni manhus.."_

 _Freddy cut them with "fir to qismat walo ke asspass rehne se unki saya parne se aaplog ki to vaag sudhar jate honge.."_

 _they look down, murmured "inn seheri logo ko to kuch kehna hi galat hey chal chal.."_

 _they two moved away.._

 _Freddy and Purvi turned towards that woman who was already crying.._

 _Tarika made her sit and sat beside her.._

 _She continued in a broken tone "mera vaag hi aisa hey..mein sach mey ek shaap hu..ek to apne pati ko kha gayi aur yea bimaari.."_

 _Tarika pressed her palms "kya bimaari hey aapko?"_

 _the woman looked down.._

 _Tarika tried in a soft tone "dekhiye mein ek doctor hu..sayed mein aapki koi madat.."_

 _"humri madat koi na kar sake..humre bimaari ki koi ilaaj nahi.."_

 _"aise kya.."_

 _"HIV"_

 _Tarika Purvi Freddy all exchanged glances, Vivek asked "kya?"_

 _the young boy nodded "haan babuji.."_

 _the woman looked around "ajeeb laga na aapko?meri kahani hi kuch ajeeb hey.."_

 _Purvi asked "per yea sab kaise.."_

 _she smiled..or better say tried to smile..it showed some strange pain in her eyes in every wrinkle of her face..and she started opening her heart..may be first time she got someone to share.._

 _"humra naam Mangla hey..15saal ki umar mey bapu ne biyah de diya..sasural mey humre pati saas sasur ki alawa ek devar tha..uski umar hmre jitna hi tha..sab kuch acha vala tha..pati seher ki karkhane mey kaam krta tha..chutti pey gher ata tha..der saal mey humra chora ho gaya..sasural mey bara man bar gaya..chora payda kiya..per..."_

 _she paused staring at her son fr some seconds then continued_

 _"biyah ki sare panch saal bad humre devar ki shaadi ki waqt wo laut aye..bahut tabiyet kharab thi unki..pata nahi kya tha per cahe jitna kehle hum sab wo haspatal nahi gaye..do mahine bad mera mang suna ho gaya..kis bimari ne hume bidhba banaya yea to malum na hua per humre baal katwa diye gaye..sab khane pey rok tok agaya..bahut sare naye naye niyam kahe gaye..mere ko to kuch samjh hi na aya..tab humre devar ne bara saath diya..hum there unpar to unki jo bhi kagaj patri tha sab devar jee ne hi sambhala.."_

 _she sighed "tab kya pata tha toofan suru ho chuka hey..dusre din subha humra sasur saas devar bare pareshan dikhe..hum sune wo apas mey batiya rahe they humre pati ko HIV tha..wo seher mey ilaj bhi kerwata tha aur kya ek dawa...wo kya.."_

 _Tarika said "AVR..Antiretroviral drugs"_

 _"ha hoga wohi..wo wu bhi lete they..saas sasur ko bhi iss baat ka pata na tha..sab pehle bahut pareshan hue..fir..mai ne humko dosh diya..kahe humne ake unhe yea bimari lagawai..wulogon to hume gher se nikalwa dete per devar jee ne bacha liya..kahe yea bimari biyah se pehle se they humre pati ko..humri saas man gayi per hume uss gher mey rehne nahi diya..goshale mey rehne ko bole"_

 _Purvi queried "aapne kuch kaha nahi?aapka koi test nahi hua..aur apki maike wale?"_

 _"kya kehte..aur maiko walo ne to bidhba hone ki bad lagvag rishta hi tor diya tha.."_

 _Freddy sighed "aur aapka bacha?"_

 _"humra chora mai babuji ki pass hi raha..humne bhi socha acha hey..kaha goshale mey rakhenge use..hum to devar jee ki ahsan se tik gaye kitne din tikenge ka pata.."_

 _Vivek asked "fir?"_

 _"fir kya sahab jee..jise hum laxman smjhe wo to ravan nikla..adhi raat ko goshale ki darwaje mey sharab mey dhut hoke ane laga..bhauji paani pilayi do..bahane se haath chune laga..din mey kaam karat ho hum tab ake bar bar.."_

 _Purvi made a disgusted face "matlab aapke devar ne isiliye apne ma baap ko roka tha aapko gher se nikalne se.."_

 _Mangla smiled painfully "mein bas kisi tarah bachti rahi..yeaha mera chora bhi bimaar hone laga..dast..bukhar laga hi rehta tha..mein uski pass taq nahi ja pati thi..ek din uski tabiyet bahut bigar gayi..haspatal le jaya gaya to uska bhi HIV jach hua aur pata chala use bhi yeahi bimari hey..dactar saab ne kaha humri pet mey rehne se hi yea bimari aya ise..humri saas sasur ki apne vansh ki chirag ko leke sara pyar sukh gaya..(a sarcastic look came on her face) feq gaye ise bhi goshale mey..aur humri devrani jo pet se thi use maika vej diya taqi chut na lag jaye"_

 _Vivek inquired "hospital ki doctor ne nahi smjhaya tha ki HIV aise nahi failta..wo bas khoon se..yea kisi bhi bodily fluid se hi failne ki chances hote hey.."_

 _Mangla looked at him confusingly "itna sab to nahi pata saheb.."_

 _Tarika signaled Vivek to stop and asked "fir aap yeaha kaise ayi?"_

 _"jis din devrani maika gayi uss raat sab sone ki bad devar jee aye goshale mey..(her face telling something worst coming up, she was staring at her son continued) unhone kaha wo har tarah ki suruksha le aye..wu ki karan humko rehne ka jagah mila..hume wu ko khush krna hoga..wu sare bandobast krke aye..kuch nahi hoga.."_

 _Purvi pressed her teethes, Freddy murmured "rascal.."_

 _Mangla continued without paying any heed to them as if in a trance_

 _"humko pata nahi kya ho gaya tha..hum bahut chekh chekh k roye aur bahut mara use..bahut..aur wo awaj sun humre saas sasur agaye..(she smiled strangely while tears rolled down her cheeks) jalti lakri se pite unlogo ne hume..kaha hum jadugarni hey unki bete ko bharka laye..hum dayen hey bare bete ko kha gaye..wu raat uss gher mey akhri raat tha..dusre din thik se subha bhi na hui humre bhai aur bapu ko bulake hume aur humre chore ko nikal diya..humre maika se laye sare jewarat bhi lauta diya..kaha wo sab shaap hey..humre bhai ne hume haspatal le gaye kya kuch kagaj banwaye ma bapu ko kagaj dikhake bole hum dono ma bete ko chut ki beemari hey..yea to hum uss gher mey rehenge yea bhai bhauji..ma bapu ko bete ko hi chunna tha to wo gher bhi chin gaya..aur hum pura beghar ho gaye"_

 _Purvi spranged up "kya..aise kaise nikal diya..na apke pass paisa tha na koi knowledge..aap ka gujara kaise hoga socha taq nahi.."_

 _"paisa tha na mem saheb wo teen char gehne..usike sahare hume chalna tha.."_

 _"per...unn logo ne ek bar socha nahi?"_

 _Mangla smiled sarcastically "ek bidhba ki serf saari safed nahi hota mem sahab uski qismat bhi ho jati hey..tab koi nahi dekhta uski taraf..bhagwan bhi nahi..meine man liya tha yea..aur apne chore ko leke dusre gaon mey chali gayi..unn gahono ki bech..uss paiso se ek jhopri banayi..murmure [puffed rice] aur bori [lentil dumping] banake pure gaon mey bechti thi..shanibar ko gaon mey bajar lagta tha..woha mere bori itne ache bikne lage ki aspas ki do teen gaon se bhi log ate they kharidne.."_

 _her voice turned dreamy_

 _"wo gaon naya tha kisiko humri bimaari ka pata na tha..aur hum apne aur apne chore ki khatir sabko dhoke mey rakhe..chore ko pass wale panchayti kendra ki school mey parne ko bhi vej diya..hafte mey 100 ki qarib kamai ho hi jati thi..laga sab thik ho gaya..per..ek shanibar ko firse humre jindegi mey shani lag gaya.."_

 _Freddy scowled "matlab?"_

 _"humre devar usi bajar mey aye they..pata nahi kya krne..unki najar humpey pari..aur wu sbke samne sbko suna suna k puchne lage hum kaise hey bimari kaisi hey..asparos ki log puche ki kaisan bimari to bol di ki humko chut ki bimari hey..sab bol diye"_

 _she wiped the tear silently.._

 _"koi raaji nahi tha uski bad humre chuye hue humre banaye hue murmure aur bori ko haath lagane ko..humre chore ko nikal diya gaya school se aur pancho ne milke faisla liya hume gaon se nikal denge..mere pass aur koi thikana nahi tha..mein jid pey aar gayi..uss shaam hum do jab haspatal gaye they..chore ki tabiyet kharab hone pey ake dekha pura gher jala diya gaya hey..sara saman raste pey para hey"_

 _Purvi said in extreme harsh tone "yea log insaan bhi hey yea.."_

 _Mangla smiled "do raat rel gari ki wu jo howat hey..istition [station] mey gujre..fir khyal aya aise to nahi chal sakti na jindegi..hum wapas aye..usi gaon ki bahar yeaha uss tuti hui mandir mey asra le li..sab kehte hey iss mandir mey koi daano rehte hey..to koi ata nahi tha yeaha..jo kuch bache kuche paise aur saman they unn sabse firse suru ki wohi dhanda..per iss bar rel se chal chal k naye naye jagah utar utar k bechne lage..dhire dhire paise jore..aur yea jhopra khara ki..gaon wale aj bhi hume shaap hi smjhte hey..koi dukan chawal nahi deta koi sabji nahi bechta.."_

 _Vivek asked in a frustrated voice "sidhe tarike se kaha jaye to jeene nahi deta..to aapki chalti kaise.."_

 _the yound lad who was silent till now started "jis din jis jagah hum wu sab bechte hey wohi se sab kharid late hey..aab mai aqsar bimaar rehti hey to mein hi leke jata hu..naye naye jagah utarta hu roj taqi kisiko humri bimari ka pata na chale..aur isi bahane kuch kaam bhi mil jata hey"_

 _"kaam?"_

 _"haa sahib kisi din kisiki gari dho deta hu kisi din kisiki bag [garden] ki safai..humra acha gujara ho jata hey.."_

 _Tarika patted his cheeks softly "aapko dil nahi krta aap bhi dusre bacho ki tarah parai karo..school jao.."_

 _"nahi"he replied quiet stubbornly.._

 _Purvi asked "kiu beta?"_

 _"humre chachu pare likhe they..mama bhi pare likhe they..wo sarpanch bhi..sabne mai ko nikla diya hum parai karenge to hum bhi maiko nikal denge..mai akeli kaha jayegai?"_

 _the confession was too innocent..one can show thousand logic against it but sometimes one illogical question stops ur every logic.._

 _Purvi turned away her face may be to hide those tears..Vivek and Freddy in total silence.._

 _Tarika tried softly again "beta unn logo ki parai adhuri thi..bas kitan ki panne par liye unhone..sikhsa nahi mila.."_

 _both the mother and son seems confused with her words..Purvi jerked her head and started in fresh tone "aap dono humare saath seher jayenge?woha aap ko yea sab nahi jhelna hoga..aap.."_

 _the young boy cut her with "woha murmure aur bori bikegi?"_

 _Purvi though fr a moment "woha aapko yea sab krne ki jarurat nahi.."_

 _Mangla interrupted in strong voice "memsahib hume koi ahsan nahi cahiye..aisehi bahut si shaap hey humpey..kisiki tukro mey palne ka shaap nahi cahiye.."_

 _Purvi hurriedly stopped her "kisiki tukro mey kiu palegi aap..asal mey humare kaam jo hey uska koi time fixed nahi waqt bewaqt nikalna hota hey to mein bahut din se koi aisa dhund rahi thi jo gher mey 24 ghanta rehegi thora gher sambhal bhi legi..to mein.."_

 _"memsahib seher mey bharosemand kaam walio ki kami nahi hey..yea bhi ahsan hi hoga bas thora kaam ki parde mey lapate.."_

 _Tarika stopped both of them "per aap apne bete ki to sochiye..use parai krna cahiye aur fir aap dono ko regularly dawai wagera bhi to.."_

 _Mangla smiled "marr hi to jayenge..unpar aye they unpar hi jayenge.."_

 _Vivek sighed.. "per.." Freddy signaled him to stop and started in very calm tone "aapko humse madat nahi leni koi baat nahi..per aapko pata hey aise bahut si sanstha hey jinhe sarkar chalati hey taqi aap jaise aurato ki madat ho paye.."_

 _Mangla looked at him in amazement "humre bimari ka pata hote hue bhi.."_

 _Freddy smiled "jee..aur apki bete ka parai likhai ki jimmedari bhi unki.."_

 _"sach...?" her face really showed the color of a full moon.._

 _Freddy nodded.._

 _"to unlogo ki pass kaise jana.."_

 _"aapko kuch nahi krna hey..mera ek dost hey aise sanstha mey..mein usse baat kr leta hu..kal ajayenge wo log..woha se aap jaise aurato aur bacho ki rehne ki intejam bhi kr dete hey.."_

 _Mangla smiled from ear to ear.._

 _Freddy smiled and moved to call that friend of his working in NGO.._

 _Soon he informed Mangla that NGO people will be visiting them tomorrow and they should be ready.._

 _"sahab..aap logo ne jo kiya..mere pass kuch dene ko to nahi..per saab dua karungi aap logo ki bacho ko duniya ki har khushi mile"_

 _Tarika pressed her shoulder Purvi whispered "aur hum dua karenge aapki bete sahi mey sikhsa pa sake"_

 _Vivek patted the young boy's cheek "bahut dil se parai krna..bahut bara hona hey..smjhe?"_

 _he nodded and rushed in.._

 _"arey yea kaha.."_

 _he came back with four packets and handed it to four of them "yea mai ki bori.."_

 _Vivek tried to say "arey iski kya.."_

 _Freddy readily grabbed Vivek's packet "tujhe jarurat nahi to mujhe de dey.."_

 _Vivek took it back "nahi jarurat hey.."_

 _all smiles looking at the very serious face of Vivek.._

 _Purvi and Tarika got up "acha aab hum chlte hey hume saher bhi lautna hey..dhyan rakhiyega apna.."_

 _Vivek pressed the shoulders of young lad "dhyan rakhna..chalta hu.."_

 _Freddy too bid them bye and four of them moved out..the setting sun is spreading a strange light over them..for Mangla and her son it's the light of heaven showing her the angels.._

 _And for this four it's the light of hope..hope to get a better future fr next generation as Mangla prayed..A generation of real happiness..._

 ** _*sigh* it's over…_**

 ** _The last part in which I showed the solution to that woman's problem is just my imagination...just to make a good ending and trying to do justice with our favorite team…_**

 ** _If it violated the rule of challenge pls let me know I will edit it…_**

 ** _I know many of my readers will not be able to relate with this, but this is a truth..._**

 ** _There are more than 40million widows in India, many of them live in the outskirts and villages and we born and brought up in city can't even imagine their life who live as A LIVING SATI...and I'm sorry to say my own Bengal has been particularly harsh in this segment_**

 ** _Actually I recently worked with some sufferers of this widow life...no they are not from some other world, just a bit outskirt of our metro city... From then on I was thinking to write a story on the sufferings..._**

 ** _And I came across this challenge..._**

 ** _I have heard this case from one of my friend...she is a doctor...posted in a village of Manipur..._**

 ** _For continence I altered the place to any underdeveloped village of Mumbai..._**

 _ **Rest are TRUELY REAL**_


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